It was the middle of the night when Luna's waters broke. She hadn't been able to sleep from the contractions coming every ten minutes or less so while George slept she paced about the living room silently in pain just waiting for that final sign. With a wave of her wand and a sigh of relief Luna cleared up the mess and picked up her suitcase. She'd been ready to leave at a moment's notice since lunch time the day before. A note was strategically placed on the sofa for George when he finally awoke so with everything in place Luna shuffled out of the flat into the cool night air.

As she waddled down Diagon Alley Luna felt guilty. She knew she ought to have woken George but since she rejected his marriage proposal things had been more than a little tense between them. She tried her best to act like nothing had changed but there was a clear underlying strain on the relationship. Luna didn't want to put anymore strain on the relationship by waking him up in the middle of the night when she didn't need him help.

The Leaky Cauldron was still teeming with life despite the late hour so Luna was able to pass through basically unnoticed as she headed out into the muggle world. Over the past couple of weeks she'd given a lot of serious thought about how she'd get to St Mungo's and in the end she'd decided that Muggle transport would be the safest way. A black car with tinted windows waited idly on the street that Luna knew was for her. Awkwardly she opened the back door and clambered inside.

"Where's George?" Ginny frowned, turning around from the front passenger seat to look at Luna.

"He'll meet us there." Luna assured her with a smile.

Clearly dissatisfied Ginny turned back to the front and pursed her lips. Harry on the other hand smiled at Luna through the rear-view mirror before pulling the car out into the road.

"How are you holding up?" He asked conversationally as they glided down the street.

"It's nothing I haven't done before," Luna faked a dismissive smile. She said it more to calm herself down than to answer him. Doubt bubbled in the back of her mind in an attempt to ruin the moment but she wouldn't let it.

Everything would be okay.

Magical abilities or not, Labour was long and painful. Ginny wasn't great at the supportive role so she'd been sent out of the room, leaving Luna alone with two midwives. She screamed for George as she pushed but he didn't appear and that was fine. He'd already had to suffer through one delivery. Luna could make it through this without him.

"That's a good girl," the young blonde midwife encouraged her, squeezing Luna's hand back as tightly as Luna gripped hers. "The first one's out." There was an Irish twang to her voice that Luna would have found intriguing under any other situation but the present one.

"The first one?" Luna panted in disbelief.

Before she could be answered her pain started afresh and she was ordered to push again.

Luna was exhausted. Sweat poured out of her body by the bucket, causing her hair and hospital gown to stick to her pale skin. She felt disgusting and so desperately wanted to shower but it wasn't over yet. Oh no, a whole other baby to go.

It had never dawned on Luna that she might have twins. The size of her belly made it obvious now but she hadn't bothered going to a healer to get checked out. Fleur assured her that she was healthy and Luna had all the necessary potions from her previous pregnancy so there was really no need for professional help. That meant no one told her that there would be two babies. As if one wasn't bad enough.

No, she couldn't think like that. These children were gifts, precious little bundles of love that she would care for until her last breath.

"Congratulations," the older midwife smiled from the end of the bed. "Two boys."

Luna sighed in relief. She wouldn't have minded whatever the sex of her children but boys were much easier to raise than girls she'd decided. But what if they turned out like their father? What if she failed her two children and they grew up to be monsters like him? No, she couldn't let that happen. She shouldn't even entertain the thought.

Fear bubbled in the back of her mind as the first of her two sons was handed to her. He had a plastic band around his left wrist, like they give out in Muggle hospitals, waiting for a name to be added to it. The fear melted from Luna as she looked down at the sleeping infant. His skin was pale and glowed like moonlight. A tuft of blonde hair stuck straight up from his soft head which made Luna giggle. It had been so long since she'd laughed. The last time had been over a month previously whilst she was reading A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hermione had lent it to her as a means of entertainment once Luna became less and less able to leave the flat. She thought to it then and to the character of Lysander who had to face some major obstacles in the pursuit of love. The baby in her arms would have many obstacles too: his parentage, Luna's fear and then later in life people who would always try and interfere with who he wanted to be with like Rolf and Angelina. Lysander seemed like the perfect name for this little one Luna decided and she told this to the younger midwife. Obediently she wrote the name on his tag and asked if he had a middle or last name.

Luna thought for a moment and decided that she'd always loved the name Oscar. It was short and had a certain… growly quality to it like a bear. Bears could be both cute, cuddly and ferocious which her son may also end up being. Oscar just seemed to fit.

"Oscar Lovegood." She told the midwife steadily.

She had been told time and time again that magic could determine the biological father of her baby but Luna didn't want to know. She was scared to find out the true result. Early on in the pregnancy she had made her mind up that if her child ever asked then they could make the decision about whether to have the test done or not. Until that day Luna would not burden them or herself with the knowledge of who they belonged to.

The blonde midwife gave her am encouraging smile and finished off the name as the older midwife returned with her other child.

"Watch out, he's a fierce one." She chuckled, handing him to Luna.

Luna looked down at her second son who was wide awake, unlike his brother. Piercing blue eyes looked up at Luna with that element of wonder small children have. He gurgled in a way that sounded almost frustrated and swatted at a strand of Luna's hair that tickled his nose. She smiled and a guttural growling sound popped out of his mouth which surprised Luna a little.

"She'd right. You are a fierce little one," Luna cooed, trying desperately not to be afraid.

"Can I make a suggestion?" The blonde midwife asked hesitantly.

"Of course," Luna replied in a friendly manner, grateful to have another place to look but at the two warm bundles of life in her arms.

"Well, in Gaelic Lorcan means little fierce one. If you don't like it then that's fine but it just seemed to fit is all." She offered.

"Lorcan," Luna sounded the name out. "It's lovely." She decided.

But what would his middle name be? With a whole world full of names before her Luna couldn't think of a single suitable one. He needed something nice, softer to balance out his first name. She didn't want to jinx his future by giving him two… not harsh but two names that could be taken badly based upon interpretation.

Luna thought about Freddie and how he had been named after a beloved person who had passed on to the next life. Maybe there was someone from her family she could name Lorcan after. The moment she thought this her mind when straight to her mother's father. He had died shortly after her mother had, heartbroken at the loss of his only child. Isaac Merriweather had been a kind old man from what Luna remembered. He was always presenting her with daffodils whenever he came to the house and he smelled like old leather and dust. Even now Luna could remember the wrinkles around his eyes when he smiled. Yes, her grandfather was just right to name Lorcan after.

Once she related this to the midwife Luna and her newly born sons were left in peace and quiet for a little while which was just fine by her. Despite her exhaustion Luna needed to bond with them for a bit before she slept. She would love them, just as she loved Freddie. She was sure of it.

Luna hadn't been sleeping for very long when George burst into the room angrily. She woke with a start as he stormed towards her, fury etched all over his face.

"What didn't you wake me?" George growled.

"Where's Freddie?" Luna completely ignored him as her eyes searched the room for her first-born. He was nowhere to be seen.

"He's in the waiting room with Ginny and Harry. Now why didn't you wake me?" George pressed.

Luna relaxed a little although she was surprised that Ginny and Harry were still there. She'd invited them in but the couple politely refused, saying it wouldn't be right to greet the twins before George. At least someone was looking after Freddie. He was old enough now that seeing his parents fight would affect his behaviour and she didn't want that.

"You were sleeping. I had it under control." Luna shrugged. She looked over to the twins who were still sound asleep in floating cots next to one another beside her bed.

"Luna," The anger melted from George's voice. She watched him look at her sons and saw the anger ebb away. "I know what you think about them but you're wrong. No matter what they are my children to." His voice was gentle and the sentiment warmed Luna's heart.

"I'm sorry." She murmured. She wanted to reach out to him, to hold his hand but she couldn't. Luna was trapped in her own mind, worrying about George's next words.

"What are their names?" George moved over to them, enchanted by the pair.

"Lorcan Isaac Lovegood and Lysander Oliver Lovegood." Luna never took her eyes off George. It suddenly struck her how he might be feeling about seeing twins, having lost his own. Fred may have died what seemed like a lifetime ago but in all those years George had never stopped mourning his brother. Trips to his grave may be less frequent nowadays but there was always a minute silence before they ate out of respect for the fallen hero.

"They took your last name?" His voice wavered slightly as he asked.

Nervously Luna slipped out of the bed and padded over to George. She looped her arms around his waist and hugged him, ready to put all her strength into it and hurl him away if she needed to. Luna wanted to think that she knew better, that George wouldn't break down so completely that the babies would be in danger. The thing was, if he began to sob, he could fall straight to his knees and he'd hit Lorcan on the way down. She had to protect the three of them. She had to protect them all.

"I thought it was best." She spoke into his shoulder but he heard.

At first he said nothing. He just stared. Luna was dying to know what he thought but she didn't dare ask. He would turn to her if that's what he needed. She would be there for him.

"Can I- Can I hold them?" George pivoted round to face Luna. His eyes shone bright with unshed tears.

"Of course," She lifted his hands and pressed them to her lips. How could she deny him this? He was to be their father after all. He needed a chance to bond just as much as she did.

With her help George carefully held both boys, one in each arm. He looked so worried, like by even holding them they might shatter. Eventually he relaxed but that didn't stop the tears falling.

"I love you," He said looking straight at Luna.

"I love you too." Luna's voice caught in her throat.

She missed him so much. She hated having to do this to him. It wasn't fair. He'd been so good to her and she'd been… going through a rough patch. That was no excuse though and in that moment Luna vowed to do right by him. She loved him more than she thought she ever could.

After a minute George asked for help in putting the boys down. Once the babies were settled he grabbed Luna's hands and pulled her close to him. This time when he knelt down on one knee Luna began to cry.

"Luna, please."

That was all he had to say.

She knew what he wanted. He wanted to love her and let everyone know it. He wanted to protect her from the evil in the world and make her laugh and smile. He wanted to be the father of her children, his or not. He wanted to make their family official.

The best bit was that Luna wanted all that too.